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Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Satan has been ahead of us each step of the way. We have anticipated attacks on the liturgy, but Satan is attacking the sacraments. We thought Satan was attacking education, but it is his attack on apologetics and logical, rational Catholic thinking.

We are in a snowstorm of attack, we know things are wrong, but they are wrong is so many different areas, we cannot keep up. Satan is ahead of us. The entire root system is rotten, and we have been attacking the branches.

We thought marriage was being attacked just by ssm when marriage is being attacked in the Church, by those who are attacking the concept of grace itself.

Dogmatic theology is gone. If we do not understand the metaphysics, we cannot understand ecclesiology or Christology. This is Fr. Barron's problem. He gets the apologetic wrong. Patheos gets the apologetics wrong. So many commentators get the apologetics wrong.

We do not understand WHY things are wrong, as we have not gone through the processes....We have not attacked the disease, we attack the rash.

We are not taking the radical approach, going to the root of things, as we do not understand the real battles.

The neo-cons of Catholicism have taken over the battle and they do not see the root.

Rahner had to know the faith to be heretical. The newbies cannot do this--understand the heresies--, as there are no more polymaths. Traditionalists, like me, fall back on the Church Fathers, and Trent, but the neo-cons "best guess" by winging it.

Why I do not read all the blogs and news, is that it is much more important to read the real deals.

Aquinas, Augustine, and the great reformers of Trent. Even in the famous stolen book, the metaphysics of marriage were not touched. Nothing on the Josephite marriage. Nothing on the Holy Family but only in allusion, not developed which is necessary.

We cannot fight ssm and the German idea without looking at the metaphysics of marriage.

Where is the understanding of Familiaris Consortio. Why?

One cannot recogize the enemy without apologetical studies. This is too painfully seen on many blogs and in many Catholic newpapers and magazines.

For example, I can say that backdoor Jansenism is gradualism. Jansenism has never left the Church. Because I can spot this, I can see how Satan is attacking the very truths of the sacraments and grace through some members of the Synod.

The neo-con Catholics scare me. They are giving us half-truths and even heresies, even from priests who write online and do not have the moral training.

Creed, code and cult, the why is gone.

I need to go back and to a doctorate on my original topic which has not been done, but there is a bit in Garrigou-Lagrange. But, I cannot afford this...

Here is the problem of the Synod.....read the bold face.

Hence the treatise on grace belongs to the moral part of theology no less than the treatise on law. Moral theology is not a science distinct from dogmatic theology, since the formal object (objectum formale quod et quo) is ever the same: God under the aspect of His Deity so far as it falls under virtual revelation. It would be surprising if the moral part of sacred theology did not treat of the necessity of grace for doing good conducive to salvation and of the effects of grace, i.e., justification and merit. Indeed, if moral theology is deprived of these treatises, it will be reduced almost to casuistry, which is only its lowest application, as asceticism and mysticism are its highest applications. Garrigou-LagrangeGraceRead Humanae Vitae for the type of texts we need now.The neo-cons do not know how to combat Satan at this level.

Two other errors have crept into the Catholic Church and are heard even from the pulpit.The first error in this category of "wishy thinking" came from the Protestants and the second may come from false seers.The first is this, "Our faith is 2,000 years old. Our thinking is not." Now, this is actually a motto of a Protestant denomination which prides itself on re-working doctrine. The great error here is the separation of faith and doctrine. Our faith, as Catholics, is the same thinking as 2,000 years ago, which we call the "depost of faith". We learn to "think like Catholics", one of my tags.Here is the CCC, with a rather long introduction for your benefit to undestand that definitions are important to our Faith. We do not believe, of course, in sola fide--see my posts on the solas.ARTICLE 2THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION74 God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth":29 that is, of Christ Jesus.30 Christ must be proclaimed to all nations and individuals, so that this revelation may reach to the ends of the earth:

God graciously arranged that the things he had once revealed for the salvation of all peoples should remain in their entirety, throughout the ages, and be transmitted to all generations.31

I. THE APOSTOLIC TRADITION75 "Christ the Lord, in whom the entire Revelation of the most high God is summed up, commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel, which had been promised beforehand by the prophets, and which he fulfilled in his own person and promulgated with his own lips. In preaching the Gospel, they were to communicate the gifts of God to all men. This Gospel was to be the source of all saving truth and moral discipline."32In the apostolic preaching. . .76 In keeping with the Lord's command, the Gospel was handed on in two ways:- orally "by the apostles who handed on, by the spoken word of their preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established, what they themselves had received - whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life and his works, or whether they had learned it at the prompting of the Holy Spirit";33- in writing "by those apostles and other men associated with the apostles who, under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, committed the message of salvation to writing".34. . . continued in apostolic succession77 "In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church the apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position of teaching authority."35 Indeed, "the apostolic preaching, which is expressed in a special way in the inspired books, was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until the end of time."3678 This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it. Through Tradition, "the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes."37 "The sayings of the holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of this Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her prayer."3879 The Father's self-communication made through his Word in the Holy Spirit, remains present and active in the Church: "God, who spoke in the past, continues to converse with the Spouse of his beloved Son. And the Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice of the Gospel rings out in the Church - and through her in the world - leads believers to the full truth, and makes the Word of Christ dwell in them in all its richness."39II. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADITION AND SACRED SCRIPTUREOne common source. . .80 "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move towards the same goal."40 Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own "always, to the close of the age".41. . . two distinct modes of transmission81 "Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit."42"And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching."4382 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."44Apostolic Tradition and ecclesial traditions83The Tradition here in question comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit. The first generation of Christians did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living Tradition.Tradition is to be distinguished from the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical or devotional traditions, born in the local churches over time. These are the particular forms, adapted to different places and times, in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church's Magisterium.III. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HERITAGE OF FAITHThe heritage of faith entrusted to the whole of the Church84 The apostles entrusted the "Sacred deposit" of the faith (the depositum fidei),45 contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, to the whole of the Church. "By adhering to [this heritage] the entire holy people, united to its pastors, remains always faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. So, in maintaining, practicing and professing the faith that has been handed on, there should be a remarkable harmony between the bishops and the faithful."46The Magisterium of the Church85 "The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ."47 This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.86 "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith."4887 Mindful of Christ's words to his apostles: "He who hears you, hears me",49 the faithful receive with docility the teachings and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.The second error is this: "God is revealing new things daily". No, the teaching of the Catholic Church is that Revelation ended with the last word of the book of the Apocalypse.
The Church alone may interpret Revelation but there is no new revelation. False seers are deemed false because they attempt to push "new revelation". Protestants also allow for new revelation because it suits their idea of sola fide.

If you hear priests from the pulpit, or at meetings, or in prayer groups bending the defintions of both Revelation and Tradition, please question them. And correct them if they are in error. That is a corporal work of mercy, by the way.

Saturday 2nd May 2015

St. George’s Cathedral, Lambeth Road, London, SE1 7HY

Family Life international is a global partnership of Catholics working to promote and defend the sanctity of Life and the Family. FLI is working on every continent to build strong families and to protect the unborn child, the elderly, and disabled. It is certain that where children are welcomed into the world in intact families, a Culture of Life is born. FLI recognises the teaching authority of the Catholic Church in matters of Faith and Morals.

Another quotation from the Decree on Ecumenism helps all understand the real problem of "imprudent zeal.

I have written on this blog before what an old priest told me of his confreres and himself in the seminary in the 1950s. He admitted, and this is a quotation, "We wanted to protestantize the Church."

They went into the seminary wanting to make the Catholic Church look, act and believe in a more protestant fashion, as they honestly saw the waning of Christianity as only stopped by a pan-Christianity. Some of the German bishops still hold this idea, based on the destruction of the Catholic Church in many areas under Communism and Nazism. This is part of the problem with the Synod.

This false ideal of pan-Christianity is the false message of Vassula Ryden, also referred to here on this blog. Pan-Christianity denies the real differences of belief and worship. And, only the Holy Spirit, through the action and decrees of the Church, can bring about unity of any separated brethren, including the SSPX, the Old Catholics and the Orthodox, as well as the eccelsial communities of Protestants.

Again from the Decree:

This Sacred Council exhorts the faithful to refrain from superficiality and imprudent zeal, which can hinder real progress toward unity. Their ecumenical action must be fully and sincerely Catholic, that is to say, faithful to the truth which we have received from the apostles and Fathers of the Church, in harmony with the faith which the Catholic Church has always professed, and at the same time directed toward that fullness to which Our Lord wills His Body to grow in the course of time. It is the urgent wish of this Holy Council that the measures undertaken by the sons of the Catholic Church should develop in conjunction with those of our separated brethren so that no obstacle be put in the ways of divine Providence and no preconceived judgments impair the future inspirations of the Holy Spirit. The Council moreover professes its awareness that human powers and capacities cannot achieve this holy objective - the reconciling of all Christians in the unity of the one and only Church of Christ. It is because of this that the Council rests all its hope on the prayer of Christ for the Church, on our Father's love for us, and on the power of the Holy Spirit." And hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us".(42)

On top of the misuse of the word "church, is the misuse of the word "traditions". Too many priests are stating that the Catholic Church is merely one of many "traditions" of worship and belief.

Not so, as the only one tradition back to Christ is the Catholic Church. The Othodox Church derives "efficacy" "from the very fullness and grace entrusted to the Catholic Church." There is a mistaken view that the word "traditions" can be applied to the Protestants, while is only applies to the Orthodox. See the last paragraph from the Decree on Ecumenism below. The Protestant communities are not different traditions, but dissenting groups. Only the Orthodox may be called one of the "traditions". The Protestants are called a strange title, "ecclesial Communities", but not Church or church. They are "sort-of" church communities, but not quite and absolutely not a "tradition".

Here is a key section from Dominus Iesus:

The Catholic faithful are required to profess that there is an historical continuity — rooted in the apostolic succession53 — between the Church founded by Christ and the Catholic Church: “This is the single Church of Christ... which our Saviour, after his resurrection, entrusted to Peter's pastoral care (cf. Jn 21:17), commissioning him and the other Apostles to extend and rule her (cf. Mt 28:18ff.), erected for all ages as ‘the pillar and mainstay of the truth' (1 Tim3:15). This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in [subsistit in] the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him”.54 With the expression subsistit in, the Second Vatican Council sought to harmonize two doctrinal statements: on the one hand, that the Church of Christ, despite the divisions which exist among Christians, continues to exist fully only in the Catholic Church, and on the other hand, that “outside of her structure, many elements can be found of sanctification and truth”,55 that is, in those Churches and ecclesial communities which are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church.56But with respect to these, it needs to be stated that “they derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church”.57

17. Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him.58 The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches.59 Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church, since they do not accept the Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church.60

On the other hand, the ecclesial communities which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery,61are not Churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptized in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the Church.62 Baptism in fact tends per se toward the full development of life in Christ, through the integral profession of faith, the Eucharist, and full communion in the Church.63

“The Christian faithful are therefore not permitted to imagine that the Church of Christ is nothing more than a collection — divided, yet in some way one — of Churches and ecclesial communities; nor are they free to hold that today the Church of Christ nowhere really exists, and must be considered only as a goal which all Churches and ecclesial communities must strive to reach”.64In fact, “the elements of this already-given Church exist, joined together in their fullness in the Catholic Church and, without this fullness, in the other communities”.65“Therefore, these separated Churches and communities as such, though we believe they suffer from defects, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church”.66

And from Unitatis-Redintegratio:

The Special Consideration of the Eastern Churches

14. For many centuries the Church of the East and that of the West each followed their separate ways though linked in a brotherly union of faith and sacramental life; the Roman See by common consent acted as guide when disagreements arose between them over matters of faith or discipline. Among other matters of great importance, it is a pleasure for this Council to remind everyone that there flourish in the East many particular or local Churches, among which the Patriarchal Churches hold first place, and of these not a few pride themselves in tracing their origins back to the apostles themselves. Hence a matter of primary concern and care among the Easterns, in their local churches, has been, and still is, to preserve the family ties of common faith and charity which ought to exist between sister Churches.Similarly it must not be forgotten that from the beginning the Churches of the East have had a treasury from which the Western Church has drawn extensively - in liturgical practice, spiritual tradition, and law. Nor must we undervalue the fact that it was the ecumenical councils held in the East that defined the basic dogmas of the Christian faith, on the Trinity, on the Word of God Who took flesh of the Virgin Mary. To preserve this faith these Churches have suffered and still suffer much.However, the heritage handed down by the apostles was received with differences of form and manner, so that from the earliest times of the Church it was explained variously in different places, owing to diversities of genius and conditions of life. All this, quite apart from external causes, prepared the way for decisions arising also from a lack of charity and mutual understanding.For this reason the Holy Council urges all, but especially those who intend to devote themselves to the restoration of full communion hoped for between the Churches of the East and the Catholic Church, to give due consideration to this special feature of the origin and growth of the Eastern Churches, and to the character of the relations which obtained between them and the Roman See before separation. They must take full account of all these factors and, where this is done, it will greatly contribute to the dialogue that is looked for.And,All this heritage of spirituality and liturgy, of discipline and theology, in its various traditions, this holy synod declares to belong to the full Catholic and apostolic character of the Church. We thank God that many Eastern children of the Catholic Church, who preserve this heritage, and wish to express it more faithfully and completely in their lives, are already living in full communion with their brethren who follow the tradition of the West.Now, the problem in the United States is that some Orthodox communities have become protestantized, no longer believing in the True Presence, for example, or the Immaculate Conception. Some of these problems are the result of heretical Orthodox priests, who like some Catholic priests, bring their own brand of theology into the pulpit.Sadly, the term Orthodox in some parts of the world covers truly protestant communities. to be continued...

Most Catholics would not catch the "new" and dangerous misuse of the word "Church" among some Catholic priests.

The term "church" or ekklesia, specifically refers to the Catholic Church, and, as the Pope Emeritus pointed out, the Orthodox Church. The term "church" does not apply to Protestant denominations, nor does the term "Christian Church". This latter term applies to the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church only. One can read Dominus Iesus on this blog and on the Vatican site found here.

To refer to other denominations, of which there are at least 43,000, all split-offs from the Catholic Church and from each other, as "church" is not only an incorrect use of the term, but heretical.

To use the term "church" to mean only the local church, such as a parish or diocese, is also incorrect, as the Catholic Church is universal. This usage has been heard many times, incorrectly, by priests and lay people in authority. To keep saying, "We are church" implies that "we" are not connected to Rome, and the intent may be creeping Americanist ideas.

But, to actually say that the Christian Church includes Protestants is incorrect. Church indicates the liturgical assembly, the local Church, and the universal Church, but not the separated brethren.

To state further, like some Protestants do, that there is an "invisible" church denies the establishment of the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church by Christ through the apostles. There is no invisible church denying an institution.

When Catholics refer to the invisible Church we mean the Church Suffering in purgatory and the Church Triumphant in heaven, not some sort of vague unseen union.

The Bride of Christ is real and visible. The Church is an institution. The Church in the Catholic Church hoping for complete union of separated Christians, which does not mean some "pan-Christian church", but the conversion of our brothers and sisters in the Protestant denomnations to Catholicism, the only one, true way to God.

817 In fact, "in this one and only Church of God from its very beginnings there arose certain rifts, which the Apostle strongly censures as damnable. But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions appeared and large communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Church - for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame."269 The ruptures that wound the unity of Christ's Body - here we must distinguish heresy, apostasy, and schism270 - do not occur without human sin:

Where there are sins, there are also divisions, schisms, heresies, and disputes. Where there is virtue, however, there also are harmony and unity, from which arise the one heart and one soul of all believers.271

On this blog are over 94 posts which deal with or refer to the predominant fault. Garrigou-Lagrange tells us that we must say this prayers, sincerely, if we want to be saints.

"Lord, show me the principal obstacle to my sanctification, the one that hinders me from profiting by graces and also by the exterior difficulties that would work to the good of my soul if I had greater recourse to Thee when they arise."As I have noted before as well, the virtues are locked into a natural state, until the predominant fault is overcome. Garrigou-Lagrange notes this:Before conquering our predominant fault, our virtues are often, to speak more properly, natural good inclinations rather than true and solid virtues that have taken root in us. Prior to victory over this fault, the fountain of graces is not yet adequately opened on our soul, for we still seek ourselves too much and do not live sufficiently for God.One must beg God daily to deal with this fault and one must be sincere in cooperating with grace to overcome it. I have also written on the passions and the emotions with regard to the predominant fault.And, I have written about temperaments with regard to holiness. Readers may remember my series on Providence last year, when I used Garrigou-Lagrange's great book with regard to understanding the temperaments. However, I want to extrapolate on one line from Garrigou-Lagrange, which is this, that there are few contemplatives because, "of our lack of perseverance, abnegation, and love for the cross..." (page 29, Cooper's book, noted in the last post).Now, thinking about this, and the fact that we are all called to come into contemplation through meditation, I was struck by the fact that this list of three obstacles corresponds to three of the four temperaments.Our temperaments can be seen as gifts from God. Through the ordering of our temperaments, we glorify God.The traditional four temperaments are melancholic, choleric, sanguine, and phlegmatic. Could it be that through the understanding of our temperament, that we understand not only are main obstacles to the contemplation which leads us to union with God, but also to knowledge of our predominant fault?One priest told me a long time ago that one way to determine one's predominant fault is to look a the list of venial sins one commits over and over and over.However, can one learn one's predominant fault from looking at one's temperament?Before I start, I think one can have characteristics of more than one temperament, and I think that one's temperament can change over time.Starting with melancholic, one may be an introvert and conscientious, but also moody and prone to worry. The melancholic think deeply on things and may be sensitive. If one has such a temperament, the main obstacle to not pursuing perfection through contemplation would be something not listed in the three "lacks" above. This problem would be the melancholic's tendency to want to do things on one's own and not ask for help. Undo independence can be a symptom of the sin of pride, a lack of humility which would interfere with contemplation.The first obstacle listed by Garrigou-Lagrange is the lack of perseverance, the fault of the phlegmatic person. This temperament may seem like the most favorable to modern people, but in reality, this is the one hardest to form into holiness. The phlegmatic is quiet, peaceful, calm but too content with himself. They make friends and people like them, but the problem is that friends become more important than God. The great fault of the phlegmatic would be sloth, which interferes with perseverance.The choleric temperament is that of a leader and a "doer". This person is aggressive and active, most likely needing little sleep and prone to be a workacoholic. Ambitious and strong-willed, this person would be the one who would avoid self-denial or abnegation, thus thwarting the growth of contemplation. Cholerics are rarely temperate.Lastly, the temperament which would avoid the cross would be the most likable and,yet, the temperment most likely to become holy.Sanguines are happy, sociable, entertaining and extremely creative. They also are those who seek pleasure. They also seek to please people. To embrace the cross would be something against their naturally optimistic and happy temperaments. But,ultimately, this person would want to please God. One can see that many saints were sanguines who accepted the cross.These are loose categories absolutely not written in stone, but for the use of those who are struggling to discover their predominant faults. God bless your efforts. To be continued....

Leon Bloy

Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma

The Church Must Not Be Defensive

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Too many Church leaders do not think, or do not think as Catholics

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GUILD PRAYER

God our Father, source of life and freedom, through Your Holy Spirit you gave the Carmelite, Titus Brandsma the courage to affirm human dignity even in the midst of suffering and degrading persecution.

Grant us that same spirit so that, in refusing all compromise with error we may always and everywhere give coherent witness to Your abiding presence among us.